Pieces, page 8
"No! That idiot," she grits her teeth.
"Can you drop me off at Boomerang diner? I promise I will come back to your house later. I just need to take care of something."
"Are you sure? I mean, you just had a panic attack, your boyfriend just broke up with you, my brother just took off, and your house..."
I put my hand up to stop her. I give her a reassuring smile, which is all I can muster at the moment. "I'm fine now. It's obvious that I need to change things, and I'm going to start at the diner."
She gives me a weird look but then gets her keys out. She yells to her father to get in the car, and we drive to the diner. I get out of the backseat and look back at Wendy.
"Are you positive this is where you want to be dropped off?"
"Yes."
"Ok. I'll see you later, then I guess." I smile and close the door as she pulls away from the curb. I wait out front until her car turns the corner, and then I start to walk down the street towards the lake. I know he's here. Where else would he go? I walk through the trees and see his back scrunched up with his arms wrapped around his knees. He's facing the water, not moving. He looks so much like Alex when he's watching tv. It instantly melts my heart.
I accidentally step on a twig as his head whips around to look at me. My heart starts to pound vigorously in my chest. I don't know exactly what I'm doing, or even what I should say. But I know that I have to follow my heart. No more being stupid. No more useless guys. I need to lay it all on the line, even if he doesn't feel the same way.
I watch as he gets up and starts to walk towards me. I meet him halfway, and before I lose my nerve, I speak first. "I thought I would find you here." I bite my bottom lip and avert my eyes for a moment.
He chuckles, and I look back up at him. He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly and then drops his hands by his side. "Yeah, I'm sorry, I needed to think. You told me to lea-"
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I had so much going on all at once. But then you left, and I instantly regretted saying it."
His eyes are intense as he stares at me. "So, there are things that I need to say, and please, just let me say them before you interrupt." I look at him, and he nods.
"I've been such a fool trying to date other guys. I did it because I thought you honestly hated me for getting pregnant. Your mom had me convinced it was all my fault and that I had ruined your life. I tried so hard to find the connection I had with you, but my heart just didn't find it. I've been going crazy, always thinking about you, wondering what you are doing and where you are. I've never said this before because I was so scared. I was scared of what you would do or what you would say. Scared of being rejected, and I didn't know if I could handle it. But now I don't care. After all that's happened to me, I have nothing left to lose. Noah, I love you. Always have, always will."
I force my eyes to look into his as I try to regain my breathing and my emotions. Is it too soon? He probably thinks I'm just vulnerable from Junior breaking up with me and all that has happened. His eyes are wide, but he's still silent. Panic starts to run through me. I wrap my arms around myself. "I knew this was stupid. I should have kept my mouth shut. You probably think I'm just an emotional ball of mess, and honestly , the entire time I was with Junior, I didn't feel much for him. It was more to make you jealous, and maybe to sometimes not feel so alone. And-"
I'm cut off abruptly as he closes the gap faster than I can blink. He puts his hands on my cheeks and pulls me towards him as his lips crash onto mine. I'm stunned at first but then quickly follow the kiss by giving him full access. He deepens the kiss with his soft, warm lips, and my mind goes cloudy. All the panic I feel rushes out as I melt into him. I wrap my arms around his neck, and we kiss so passionately my knees go weak.
We finally pull apart, and we both gasp for air. My head is spinning, but when I look into his eyes, they show concern or maybe regret, which is not what I was hoping for. I watch as he turns around and grabs his head with both of his hands and starts to scratch his head vigorously. He lets out a loud, frustrated groan. After pacing for a few, he turns back to me.
"How could you think all this time, that I didn't love you or have feelings for you?"
My heart jolts a bit at that question. "I did know, kind of, I mean, I had a feeling, but I convinced myself I wasn't good enough for you! I didn't want you to give up being a doctor because of our stupid actions. You needed to concentrate. I'm sorry Noah, I thought I was doing the right thing by distracting myself with other guys!"
He shakes his head in disbelief and then chuckles. "You are unbelievable! Katie, I have loved you and wanted you since the day I saw you drop your books in the hallway at school, way before I had the chance to talk to you that night at the bar. You had my soul wrapped around your little finger, and it’s been torture watching you kiss and hug other guys and go to them for support instead of me."
"I'm sorry, Noah. I really am!" I try to hold back my tears, but I fail miserably. "I guess it's too late, right? I knew it was, I just needed to tell you once and for all, so now it's off my chest and—" before I get a chance to finish, he closes the gap once again in three enormous strides and grabs my face.
"No! It's not too late. I want you, Katie," he says forcefully.
Then in a whisper, as his eyes flutter closed, says, "I need you."
Katie
He needs me? He rests his head on my forehead; we were both wholly defeated with life, with fighting our feelings, with everything. Yet it wasn't a defeat that made us want to give up. Instead, it was a defeat that brought a peaceful feeling, at least to my heart. At that moment, nothing else mattered. I knew where I was meant to be and with whom. I’m so glad he has the same feelings but is it too soon?
We stay like this for a while, neither one of us daring to speak as if this delicate bubble we made could burst at any moment. But I have to ask the question that has been nagging at me since I decided to find Noah and tell him how I felt.
"Noah?" I whisper. He opens his beautiful eyes and moves his head away from mine, followed by his hands, dropping to his side. The bubble has burst. I already miss the warmth he brings me. He looks at me skeptically as if he knows that I might say that this was all a dream, that it's not really happening.
"What do we do now? Is it too soon to do anything at all?" I ask awkwardly, fidgeting with my fingers.
"What do you want, Katie? I told you what I want, what I need. The choice is up to you." I meet his eyes again as they plead with me to make the right decision finally. Before I can say anything in response, he continues.
"Don't worry about it being too soon. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks. It only matters to Alex and us. So get those thoughts out of your head."
I smile. "Noah, I want us. I want us to be together as a couple, as parents to Alex. That's it. But I want to take this slow. There is so much happening right now in my life, and it's overwhelming."
"And I will be there right by your side through it all."
I shake my head. "Noah, you have to promise me that you will stay in school and finish becoming a doctor."
He grabs my hand gently and places it on his beating heart. "I swear on my life that I will finish school." Then he pulls it away and kisses my palm before he intertwines our fingers together. "Come on, let's go home."
I love the feeling of my hand in his big warm one. Even if it's just his hand, I can feel the protection radiate through my skin. I know no matter what happens, he will always be there for Alex and me.
Once we return to Noah's house, we walk through the door holding hands. Wendy is the first to pop her head around the corner as she eyes us slowly when finally they go towards our hands and then back up at us with a wide grin.
"No way! Finally?" She shrieks, piercing my ears, making me wince, followed by a giant smile. We look at each other and nod our heads.
"Hallelujah, praise Jesus!" She claps her hands and runs towards us for a hug.
"What is all the commotion in here?" His mom asks while holding Alex on her hip.
"Mama, it's a bloody miracle. These two have finally woken up and decided to be together!"
I'm unable to read his mom's expression. It's a mix of emotions that wash through her face.
"Mom… I don't care what anyone thinks. We love each other and have just been too blind to see it until now." She puts Alex down and places her hand on her hip. My heart wants to stop, not knowing what she will say towards me.
"More like too stubborn," she says, and then smiles. I release the breath I'm holding as she walks over to us and hugs us.
"I promise I won't be bad to him. I will treat him right. I know I messed everything up in the beginning. But I'm going to fix it. I love him very much, but when you told my mom that I had ruined his life, I believed it..."
"Oh, hush girl, that's all in the past. We were all upset and surprised, and we all did and said things we didn't mean. Now we move on. Now let's eat. I was starting to worry about you two. Come on, Alex, back to your seat."
Once everyone is out of the hallway, Noah turns to me and grabs my face. He plants a soft, sweet kiss on my lips, making me want to melt. We then join everyone in the dining room and eat. It's been a long time since I had a family dinner, where we all laughed and told jokes and carried on silly conversations. It was the first time in a long time that I felt happy. I knew that whatever the future brought for us, it would be good— piece by piece.
Katie
The weeks have passed in a blur. Noah and I are going strong. It's incredible to hold his hand when I want, and when he kisses me, I feel butterflies. I'm head over heels for this guy, and I couldn't be happier. Everything is how it’s supposed to be. Today we celebrate Alex's fourth birthday. I miss my mom terribly, but I know she's watching down on us, smiling. I know she would have been thrilled knowing we were a family again.
"Ok. I got the balloons and some streamers. Wendy's bringing the cake." Noah walks in and ties the balloons around a couple of chairs. I smile at him meeting his twinkling eyes. He strides over and kisses me. "Hey beautiful, what are you doing?"
I finish preparing the fruit platter and wipe my hands. "I'm just finishing up the fruit tray and then going onto the veggie tray. Oh, and waiting for your sexy ass to walk in with the balloons." I smirk and then wink at him. He grabs my waist and pulls me to him.
"Are you trying to turn me on?" I blush at his words and hit him playfully on his chest.
"If I was, is it working?" I squeal when he starts to tickle my sides. "Stop!" I screech. He pulls away as Alex comes running into the kitchen.
"Happy birthday, big boy!" I grab him and twirl him around and then put him down.
"Can I go play in the backyard?"
"Yeah, little man, go for it. I'll go with you," Noah responds.
"Only for a little bit, people will be here soon!"
"Yes, ma’am." Noah salutes me, and Alex laughs. I roll my eyes and busy myself with the rest of the food prep. We still live at Noah's parent’s house. Although it's nice to have a roof over our heads, it's cramped and doesn't give us much quiet time or privacy. Despite being back together, we still haven't had our moment yet. Just thinking about it makes my insides clench. I can't even imagine how Noah feels.
I decided to cash in the insurance that my mom had to have our house rebuilt. This time I opted for a one-story home that spreads out on a good portion of the land. Unfortunately, it won't be ready for at least a year. It's been an uphill battle trying to make design decisions. Most of the time, I allow Noah to make them because I get so overwhelmed. The town was rebuilt, as well, and the people are happy once again. I look out the window near the counter and watch as they play together on the big wooden swing set we bought for his birthday. My heart soars at the sight before me.
"Hey, girl! Look at this cake!"
I jump out of my thoughts and look towards Wendy, carrying a giant two-tier cake. It's red and blue and decked out in paw patrol characters, which is Alex's favorite show.
"Oh my gosh, Wendy, it looks amazing! Who made it?"
"One of my friends from high school owns the bakery in town. You know Pamela's bakery. I told her I needed an amazing cake for my amazing nephew, and she gladly accepted," She says with a smile. I walk over and hug her.
"Thank you. Alex will love it."
"No problem, doll."
"Oh, what a cute looking cake!" Noah's mom says as she walks through the kitchen.
"Pamela made it," Wendy announces.
"Really? Wow, she did a great job!"
I nod in agreement with the two of them as I busy myself with the veggies, while Kathie empties bags of chips. Wendy places decorations around, and Noah's dad gets the picnic tables ready. Soon people start to arrive carrying presents of all shapes and sizes. My mom was an only child and my father's side of the family never cared about me or my mom. These people were all Noah's friends and family.
I greet each one as they enter between aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends. I strike up small conversations with some of them, which note how happy they are to see us together. Noah tried to throw a few birthday parties in the past, but it was mostly my mom and me cooking a small dinner. I never felt welcomed by Noah's mother up until now. I must say it’s a nice change.
After singing happy birthday to Alex and watching his eyes light up with joy, I tell him it's time for gifts. We gather around Alex as Noah hands him one present at a time, while Wendy snaps pictures. Alex rips them open at lightning speed, throwing bits of paper all over the yard.
Eventually, Alex finishes unwrapping his gifts and starts to play with his toys and his cousins. I feel warm hands snake around my waist, causing me to jump slightly only to relax a few seconds later as I realize it's Noah behind me.
"I have a surprise for you later," he whispers in my ear, which sends chills up my spine and the clenching in my stomach to increase. I feel the heat between my legs.
"Oh, really? You know I hate surprises," I say as confidently as my brain will allow, even though I'm intrigued. He gives me a devilish grin and spins me around.
"Oh, you will love this surprise." He winks at me then pecks me on the lips.
Before I can respond, he walks away, leaving me cold and begging for more.
"Dearie, we are leaving and just wanted to say goodbye," Noah's grandmother says as she gives me a small hug.
"Thank you so much for the gift and for coming! It was wonderful seeing you again."
"Likewise. You take care." She walks over to Noah and does the same before walking out of the brown wooden fence that engulfs the backyard. As the next hour passes, the guests’ disperse after saying their goodbyes, leaving us with a huge mess to clean up.
It only takes us an hour to clean everything up. I take Alex upstairs and bathe him. I get him tucked into bed and read him a story. Before I get to the middle, he is fast asleep. I kiss him on the forehead and whisper how much I love him. The door creaks open, revealing Noah.
"It's time for your surprise." I get off the bed and tiptoe out of the room, closing the door softly behind us. I notice Noah has changed into nice jeans and a maroon button-up dress shirt. His hair is slightly spiked on top, and it’s hard not to jump him right now.
"You look handsome." I look down at my yellow sundress and put my fingers through my hair.
"You look gorgeous." He grabs my hand and pulls me downstairs.
"Wait, I should change. Maybe freshen up."
"You look fine, babe. Don't worry; I’ve got everything covered."
We jump into his pickup truck and drive off down the street. After a short ride, we pull into a parking lot. I look up to see a big white building with the words Ashbury Inn.
"A hotel?" I ask.
He smiles, gets out of the car, and comes around to help me out of my side. "Noah," I say in a stern tone. He still doesn't respond. Instead, he pulls me into the pristine lobby. It's decorated to resemble the 1900s with its gold chandelier sparkling in the middle, and a few brown leather sofas sit in front of a vast marble fireplace that's burning—making the atmosphere that much cozier. Light classical music plays in the background. A staircase is stationed in the middle ascending upwards with white railings and red carpet. We walk towards the front counter as a receptionist smiles at us.
"Welcome. How may I help you?"
"Yes. I have a reservation for Peters." My eyes go wide. He glances at me, nervously and back at the receptionist, who’s named Judy. She clicks away at the computer and then smiles. She reaches underneath the counter to pull out a small white card.
"Yes sir, may I see your license?" Noah slides it over, and she inspects it.
"Thank you, sir. Here is your room key. It's room 203. Just go right up those stairs, make a left, and it’s two doors down on your right."
"Thank you, Judy." He grabs the card and continues to pull me up the stairs.
"Noah, we can't afford a hotel room? What's the occasion?"
Once we find our way to the door, he stops and turns to face me. “It's almost your birthday, and I was going to wait until then, but I can't." The grin on his face tells me there is more. By the looks of it, you would think there was a whole candy store inside. My heart stops at his words. He turns and swiftly slides the key card in and out, as it makes a beeping noise before the little green light appears. He gestures for me to enter first. I hesitantly take a step in and gasp involuntarily, clasping my hands over my mouth.
"Oh, my God."
Noah
I watch her facial expression as she stands there with her hands over her mouth. She's shaking her head in disbelief.
I had planned this surprise a couple of weeks ago with the help of my sister. Wendy must have picked up some vibes from Katie, and Wendy pulled me aside to clearly, and not so subtly, point them out. It was clear she needed some alone time with me. I couldn't blame her, though. Being stuck under one roof with six people was enough to make anyone feel suffocated. Besides, I found myself having a hard time resisting her. Brushing past her in our small kitchen every morning and watching her sashay away from me every time I laid my palm on her lower back. Silly me, I didn’t realize until Wendy nearly smacked it into my head.
